Arkhangel Spetsnaza, one of Russia's most notorious pro-war Telegram channels with nearly 1.2 million followers, has found a dark way to profit from the war in Ukraine.
By selling "exclusive" footage of Russian forces committing brutal acts against Ukrainians, the channel has become a major revenue stream, exploiting violence for financial gain.
This was reported by United24 Media.
The Channel’s Disturbing Content
Launched in September 2021, Arkhangel Spetsnaza initially posted frontline reports and soldier manuals. But its real moneymaker is far more sinister: videos depicting the torture and murder of Ukrainians.
Subscribers pay to access this violent content, which includes footage of Russian operations, interrogations of Ukrainian prisoners, and the desecration of corpses.
One example involved the interrogation of a 16-year-old girl, accused of sharing Russian troop movements with Ukrainian forces. The video shows her speaking under duress, likely forced to make a statement. This type of psychological and physical abuse has become a hallmark of the channel’s content.
Their videos are polished, often professionally edited, and they run a documentary series titled “I Chose Life,” featuring Ukrainian prisoners of war. The series appears to counter Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” project, which encourages Russian soldiers to surrender.
The Business of War Crimes
The channel is not only a platform for propaganda but also a business. Arkhangel Spetsnaza capitalizes on the macabre by charging subscribers for exclusive access.
A monthly subscription costs between 500 to 1,000 rubles (around $5-10), and the channel boasts around 800 paying subscribers, netting them approximately 800,000 rubles per month (roughly $8,500) through subscriptions alone.
But the income doesn’t stop there.
They also rake in money through merchandise sales, including military patches and other products, alongside advertising posts, which reportedly cost 54,000 rubles (around $600) each. Over the last two months, the channel raised 30 million rubles ($317,000), claiming to use these funds to purchase drones and other equipment for Russian forces.
A Fanbase That Fuels the Violence
The channel’s appeal stretches beyond Russia’s military sympathizers. Investigations by Evocation, an organization dedicated to exposing Russian forces, revealed a fanbase that includes women who pay for the phone numbers of channel members, further adding to the profits.
Arkhangel Spetsnaza cultivates a mysterious allure by never revealing the faces of those in charge, only using call signs to represent Russian soldiers.
Who's Behind Arkhangel Spetsnaza?
An investigation by IStories and the UADroneForces volunteer group uncovered key figures behind Arkhangel Spetsnaza.
Among them is a Russian Airborne Special Forces officer and the son of a former Deputy Agriculture Minister, Stanislav Aleinik. In total, eight people run the channel: seven soldiers and one civilian, most of whom operate on the frontlines.
Three women, known as Yulia “Flower,” Olesya “Duchess,” and Tatyana “Nut,” moderate the channel’s chat groups, maintaining its community of loyal followers. The investigation also suggests possible links between the channel and Russia’s General Staff, further complicating the network behind this gruesome propaganda machine.
The Role of Russian State Media
What makes this operation even more troubling is the fact that Arkhangel Spetsnaza’s content has been advertised on major social media platforms and even received airtime on Russian federal TV channels.
This suggests state complicity in the promotion of war crimes for profit and propaganda.
